Motor-vehicle-locking means



W. E. BURTON.

MOTOR VEHICLE LOCKING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 29. 1911.

l 305,5 1 9. Patented June 3, 1919.

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WM. E.BoRToN, y

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WILLIAM E. BORTON, O-F OMA-HA, NEBRASKA.

MOTOR-VEHICLE-LOCKING MEANS.

Speeifioationiof Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application led October 29, 1917. Serial No. 199,183.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it,.known that I, WILLIAM E. BoRToN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicle-Locking Means, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanism for preventing the starting or operation of internal-combustion engines by unauthorized persons, and is Iparticularly intended for u se in preventing theft of motor vehicles driven by engines of this class. It is the object vof my invention to provide a lock-controlled valve in the pipe or conduit through which the combustible charge is supplied to an internal-combustion engine, whereby the pos# sessor of a suitable key may readily open the valve to enable operation of the engine, while without the proper key to openv the valve the engine cannot be run to produce power. A further object of my invention is to provide a valve device of the character above indicated which may be readily and easily inserte at a joint usually found in the intake pipe connections of internal-combustion engines, so that the locking device is applicable tothe engine with a minimum disturbance of the ordinary engine fittings. A further object of my invention is to provide means controlled by the valve-lock to prevent disconnectionof the inserted valve-casing or `valve-carrying section of the pipe from the adjacent portions of the charge-conducting conduit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 .is a side view of an engine provided with a valve device embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the valve-casing showing the valve in open position, Fig. 3 is a similar view with the valve in closed position, Fig. 4; is partially a plan view and par# tially a section on the plane of the line 4.-4 0f Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a section on the Iplane 0f the line 5--5 of Fig.

In Fig. 1 there is shown an internal-combustion engine of a common type having an intake manifold-pipe MA terminating` in a portion 6 provided with a coupling-flange 7 which is usually connected by suitable bolts with a similar flange 8 on the carbureter or charge-forming device C. My valve and locking device is applied to the engine by disconnect-ing the flanges 7 and 8. inserting the valve-casing 9 between them, and connecting said flanges and casing by means of special bolts, hereinafter described. The main body of the valve-casing 9 is formed similarly to the flanges 7 and 8, and has a longitudinal passage 10 of the same size as that through the pipeportion 6, but at one side of the casing there is a projecting cylindrically-recessed portion 11. Within said part 1-1 there is fitted the barrel 12 of a lock.

preferably of the well-known Yale type.' having an eccentrically disposed cylinder 13 provided with'a slot for receiving a key 14,'

and the key having a serrated edge-portion for controlling a series of spring-actuated tumbler-pins 15. The structure and operation of the lock proper will be readily understood; it being noted that when the key is inserted in the cylinder the ends of the tumbler-pins are thereby moved into regis ter with the periphery of the cylinder, so that the latter may be rotated; and that when the cylinder is'turned from the locked position thereof the tumbler-pins prevent withdravval of the key from the slot. The lock is so arranged that the axis of the cylinder 13, if prolonged, intersects lthe axis of the passage 10 through the valve-casing, and a valve-rod or shaft 16 is -provided which ex tends across said passage, said shaft fitting revolubly Within openings through the casing and having a head 17 which is secured to the inner end of the cylinder by screws 18. The portion of the shaft 16 within the passage O hasta transverse slot in which the valve-disk 19 is inserted and secured by means of pins or rivets 20. The diameter of the valve-disk is substantially the same as that of the passage, s'o as to close the saine when extending perpendicularly to the axis thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The parts are so connected that the valvel is in said closed position when the cylinder 13 is in the locked position shown in said Fig. 3. At one side of the passage 10 there is a. stop-pin 21 which is engaged by the valve-disk whenthe latter is turned to a position parallel with the axis of the passage, as shown in Fig. 2 and by dotted lines in Fig. 5. A coil spring is disposed around the valve-shaft adjoining vthe head 17, one end 0f the spring being tion thereof and retain the same at said position with the disk 19 in engagement with the stop-pin 2l, thereby preventing movement of the valve to closed position except by intentionally turning the key and cylinder to the locking position thereof and Withdrawinw the key from the cylinder.

' he valve-casing 9 has longitudinal openings adapted to register with the bolt-holes through the flanges 7 'and 8, so that bolts 23 may be passed through said openings to secure the casing between the Hanges. The openings for the valve-shaft are preferably arranged so that they intersect the sides of the bolt-holes through the casing, and the bolts have annular concave grooves 24: therein at longitudinal positions such that said grooves register With the shaft-openings. In the sides of the valve-shaft, adjoining the bolt-holes, there are notches 25 so arranged that when the valve is in open position, as shown in Fig. 2, said notches are in register with the bolt-holes, thus enabling the bolts to be inserted through the holes orWithdrawn therefrom. When the valve is in the closed and locked position shown in Fig. 3, portions of the valve-shaft lie in the grooves 2l of the bolts and prevent Withdrawal of the bolts from the valve-casing. By disposing the heads of the bolts oppositely to each other, as shown in 4, the valvecasing is prevented from being disconnected from either of the flanges 7 and 8 While the valve is in locked position, since the iange 7 is held against the casing by the head of one bolt, and the liange 8 similarly held by the head of the other bolt, even if the nuts should be removed from the threaded ends of the bolts. Thus when the valve is in the locked position thereof, access thereto by any person not having a'key for the lock is practically impossible, and, as the charge-inlet passage to the engine is closed by the valve, the engine cannot be run.

The special utility of the locking device for preventing theft of motor-Vehicles Will be obvious, as removal 0r disablement of the locking device cannot be effected Without the use of special tools andthe expenditure of considerable time, Which are not usually availableto persons engaged in such practices. The locking device is also such as to comply With traliic regulations in cities, the device permitting the vehicle to Ibe pushed or pulled, but no t under its ovvn power, as when required to be moved for short distances during absence of the owner.

NOW, having described my invention, what I claim'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Locking means for preventing operation of an internal-combustion engine, comprisino` the combination With separable flange( portions of the charge-supplying pipe of the engine, of a valve-casing inserted between said flanged pipe-portions, said casing having a passage'connecting the passa-ges through said pipe-portions, a valve for closing the passage through the casing, locking means for retaining the valve in closed position, bolts extending through the casing and the flanges of the pipe-portions to secure said parts together, and means controlled by the valve-locking mea-ns for preventing withdraWal of the bolts from the casing When the valve is closed.

2. Lock-controlled means for preventing operation of an internal-combustion engine, comprising the combination with separable flanged portions of the charge-supplying ipe of the engine, of a valve-casing inserted between the flanges of said pipe-portions,

bolts extending through the casing and connecting said flanges therewith, a valve controlling a passage through the casing between and connecting the passages of said pipe-portions, a key-controlled lock-member for actuati said valve, and means controlled by sa1d lock-member for preventing Withdrawal of the flange-connecting bolts from the valve-casing.

3. Means for preventing operation of an internal-combustion engine, comprising in combination separable portions of the charge-supplyin pipe of the engine, a valvecasing disposed etvveen said separable pipeportions and having a passage connecting the passages through said pipe-portions, a valve disposed in said connecting passage, a shaft carrying said valve, a key-controlled lock-cylinder xedly connected With said shaft and adapted to reta-in the same in valve-closing position, resilient 'means connected with said shaft and tending to move thev same to valve-opening position, members extending through the casing andl said pipeportions to fixedly connect the same, and means cpntrolled by rotation of the valvecarrying shaft for preventing disengagement of said connecting members from the valve-casing.

4. In a device of the class]` described, a valve-casing, a valve controlling a passage through said casing, a key-controlled cylinder, a. shaft connecting said cylinder and the valve, said shaft having portions adapted to intersect bolt-holes through the casing, and bolts extending through said bolt-holes, said bolts being grooved transversely to receive the portions of said shaft that intersect the bolt-holes.

' W. E. BORTON. 

